Pages

Eating foods that are high in vitamin C
will help keep your immune system strong, so include fruit and vegies such as
lemons, kiwifruit, capsicum and broccoli in your weekly shop.

If you're struggling to get the recommended two serves of fruit and five serves
of vegies each day, try juicing them. Nutritionist Zoe Bingley-Pullin
recommends making juices that consist of two-thirds vegetables and one-third
fruit. A blend of carrot, beetroot, spinach and lemon is a stress-busting
combination that will boost your immune system.

Ensure your diet also includes plenty of lean meats, fish, poultry, low-fat
dairy, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, and use lots of herbs and spices.

2.Exercise regularly

It's vital to keep your workout regimen up
during winter, with a recent study showing that a moderate level of regular
exercise has a long-term cumulative effect on immune response.

Lead researcher Professor David Nieman from Appalachian State University in the
US reported that study participants who went for a brisk walk several times a
week reduced the number of sick days they took by about 40 per cent.

"Regular aerobic exercise, five or more days a week for more than 20
minutes a day, rises above all other lifestyle factors in lowering sick days
during the winter cold season," Professor Nieman says.

But don't go overboard. Overly strenuous exercise releases the stress hormone,
cortisol, in the body, which can weaken the immune system.

3.Stay connected

Socialising helps strengthen your immune
system by keeping you active and reducing your stress levels, so avoid the
temptation to rug up on the couch all winter.

Invite friends over for dinner or host a games night, visit local museums and
art galleries, wrap up warm and go for a walk in the park with your family or
plan a cinema date with your partner.

4.Scrub up

Frequent hand washing is one of the best
ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness as it limits the transfer of
bacteria, viruses and other microbes, according to the Mayo Clinic in the US.
This is important during winter when we tend to cough and sneeze more
frequently. Wet your hands and lather up with soap for 20 seconds to help
dislodge germs and rinse well under running water.

Winter is the coldest and yet the most beautiful season of
the year in some places. Winter is
the time when the days are short and nights become very long and it is also the
time when most of us enjoy a holiday traveling with family and friends or just
curling up in bed with a favorite book and a piping hot cuppa! Perhaps some
people won’t agree with this, because winter is also the time that aggravates
medical conditions like arthritis and the freezing winter wind can turn our
skin and hair dry, and render the scalp itchy.

Winter Skin Care Tip

During winter season, most of us have experienced extreme
dryness in our skin no matter how much we take care of it. Here are some skin
care tips that will make our skin feel soft and supple during winter season.

• Since the
skin on your face is more sensitive, use an oil-based moisturizer, rather than a water-based moisturizer so that the oil
forms a protective layer on the skin and retains moisture on your face.

• Moisturize
your skin several times in a day Use various body oils or body lotion products
containing avocado oil, primrose oil, almond
oil, tea tree oil, mineral oil or glycerin daily to reduce the dryness on your
skin.

• Drinking water helps your skin stay young and wrinkle free. Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty
of water everyday during winter season.

• Winter sun
can also damage your skin, so put on some sunscreen to your face and hands while going out during winter.

• The skin on
your hands has fewer oil glands, and has the thinnest skin layer than in any
other part of the body. During winter season, to avoid cracking or itching of
the hands wear gloves while going out.

• Having a hot
bath during winter season does feel great, but the intense heat of a hot bath
or shower can lead to loss of moisture in our skin. Lukewarm water is much
better for a bath during winter.

Winter Make up Tip

Every woman looks forward to making herself look beautiful
even during the cold winter season. Choose make up colors that are suitable for
winter season. Here are some make up tips for a glam look during winter season.

• Skin type is
most important during winter season. If you have a dry skin, use a suitable lotion and apply all over your face gently
before you apply make up. Whereas for oily skin you just need to apply a little
bit of it.

• Use a creamy
liquid foundation that matches your skin tone and apply over your face for a
smooth look.

• After
applying the foundation, apply some powder on your face to get the flawless
appearance.

• Choose a
warmer eye shadow shade like browns or grays and apply on the upper part of
your eyelid to make your eyes look more striking.

• Use a blusher that will add a little color on you face
so you don’t look too pale.

• Use black
mascara and apply on your eyelashes.

• Apply
lipstick or a colorless lip-gloss on your lips for a smooth and moist look.

Skin
performs many important physiological functions and is extremely susceptible to
free-radical damage. To function optimally and stay healthy, your skin needs
nourishing with antioxidants from the inside and outside. For our overall
health, we need supplements in addition to a healthy diet. But for the health
of our skin, internal nourishment is not enough: topical antioxidants are
essential.

Look in the
mirror. What do you see? You are looking at your body’s largest organ–your
skin. It performs many important physiological functions and is extremely
susceptible to free-radical damage. To function optimally and stay healthy,
your skin needs nourishing with antioxidants from the inside and outside.

Our bodies
are under continuous attack by free radicals, those extremely reactive
molecules produced by our environment and our bodies that damage cells and
tissues. On the outside, free-radical damage causes wrinkles, loss of skin
tone, hyperpigmentation, aging, and skin cancer. On the inside, free-radical
damage is suspected in various diseases including cancers, degenerative
diseases, inflammatory illnesses, and in the aging process itself.

Antioxidants
for Skin Health

We have a
natural defense mechanism against free-radical attack. Our bodies contain
complex systems of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, or nutrients that inactivate
free radicals before they can damage cells. Hundreds of antioxidants exist.
Some, such as alpha-lipoic acid, are produced by our bodies. Others are found
in plants and must be consumed. Each antioxidant functions slightly
differently, but they work together synergistically to keep the body and skin
healthy.

The skin is
constantly exposed to free radicals produced by harmful pollutants in the
environment and, most significantly, UV light. To maintain healthy, youthful
skin we must ensure that our skin has enough antioxidants to adequately protect
itself. We can deliver these antioxidants to our skin through diet,
supplements, and topical products.

For our
overall health, we need supplements in addition to a healthy diet. But for the
health of our skin, internal nourishment is not enough: topical antioxidants
are essential. Internal supplementation improves antioxidant levels in skin
cells, but research shows that topical application delivers these important
nutrients to the skin more quickly. Countless studies demonstrate that topical
antioxidants protect skin from UV damage, reduce inflammation, and may protect
against certain types of cancer.

Topical
Antioxidants

These
formulations contain many different antioxidants. Choose a combination that is
appropriate for your skin. Some are stronger than others and many offer
additional health benefits. Vitamins C and E, two well-known antioxidants, are
essential for skin health. Additionally, vitamin C stimulates collagen
synthesis, and vitamin E provides excellent hydration benefits. Astaxanthin, a
carotenoid, is 500 times more powerful than vitamin E and is anti-inflammatory.
The standardized extract from the bark of the French maritime pine, containing
a complex of powerful antioxidants, helps improve microcirculation and also
enhances the function of vitamin C.

These and
other topical antioxidants will protect your skin and optimize skin health.
Look for effective concentrations of these important antioxidants and avoid
potentially harmful ingredients such as mineral oil, petrolatum, and parabens.